Horizon English School Dubai

Horizon English School is in the Al Safa area of Dubai, near Al Safa Park. The campus is on 30B Street off Al Wasl Road, placing it in the Jumeirah/Al Wasl corridor of central Dubai. The location is well connected by road and sits close to major routes for easy commuting.

The current Horizon English School campus serves children aged 3 to 11, covering Foundation Stage 1 to Year 6, following the National Curriculum of England. When Horizon English School Town Square opens in August 2027, it will form part of an all-through pathway extending to Year 13, initially offering FS1–Year 8.

The school is a private, non-selective primary school. It is co-educational (mixed gender).

Total on-roll is 1,301 pupils; Emirati students number 41, and the largest nationality group is the United Kingdom. The Dubai KHDA inspection reports do not state the total number of nationalities represented, only identifying the largest nationality group. Local-to-international pupil ratio is 41 Emirati to 1,260 international (about 1:31).

Special Educational Needs (SEN) provision includes a dedicated inclusion department, a School Counsellor, an Occupational Therapist, and links with support organisations. There is a New Horizons daily life-skills class for more complex SEN, plus Gifted and Talented and English Language Learner (ELL) provisions.

The school operates within the British overseas system and offers the English National Curriculum; it is classified as a British overseas school.

There is no explicit religious affiliation stated; the school describes its ethos as inclusive.

School timings vary by year group. FS1 opens with gates at 7:20am and finishes around 1:20–1:30pm (Friday 11:50am–12:00pm). FS2 finishes around 1:30–1:40pm on weekdays (Friday similar close). Years 1–6 have gates open at 7:20am, finish at about 2:50pm (Friday 12:00pm). Weekly timings are published in the school timings section.

A school bus service is provided for all students (FS1–Year 6) and is operated by Guardian One Transport. There are fourteen buses with routes across Dubai, female bus attendants, and journey times capped at 1.5 hours per RTA guidelines. Parents can track buses via a dedicated app; contact details for Guardian One Transport are provided for route information and fees.

Horizon English School follows the National Curriculum of England and Wales for children aged 3 to 11 (FS1–Year 6). In the Early Years Foundation Stage (FS1–FS2), learning centers foster seven core areas of development (physical, personal, social and emotional, communication and language, literacy and numeracy, understanding the world, expressive arts) with weekly specialist teaching in Arabic, Music, PE and Library and access to extensive outdoor spaces. Lower Primary – KS1 (Years 1–2) covers English, Maths, Science, Arabic (Islamic Studies for Muslim pupils), French, Music, PE, Swimming, Topic (Geography and History), Art and Design, Social Studies and Moral Education, with Computing, French, Music, Swimming, PE, Arabic and Islamic studies delivered by specialists. Upper Primary – KS2 (Years 3–6) continues the National Curriculum with increased time for specialist subjects (French, Arabic, Islamic Studies where relevant, Computing, Art and Design, Music, PE and Swimming) alongside core English, Maths, Science, Social Studies and Moral Education; Computing is supported by iPad Pro devices for Years 3–6. The school operates a through-school pathway to a senior campus, Horizon Town Square opening in August 2027 with priority placement for Horizon students, and KHDA has rated the school Outstanding since 2018–19.

Horizon English School places wellbeing and happiness at the heart of its community, with an unconditional focus on pupil and staff wellbeing and happiness. The Vision & Values framework emphasizes a flourishing school where social, emotional, and physical well‑being are central to development. The school operates an Inclusion department with a School Counsellor as part of its specialist team, enabling targeted social–emotional support. The New Horizons life‑skills programme provides social connection and independent living practice for students with more complex SEN needs. The Principal's Message reinforces inclusion and wellbeing as core priorities, and KHDA notes an outstanding overall rating held since 2018/19, reflecting sustained welfare and quality.

Horizon English School is a mainstream school with robust SEN provisions. It is wheelchair accessible and offers intensive one‑to‑one support and an alternative curriculum for a wide range of needs, guided by a dedicated inclusion team that includes a School Counsellor and an Occupational Therapist. The school has links with multiple support organisations and does not require external assessments to place a child on the SEN register, while providing guidance for additional support such as physiotherapy, speech and language therapy, or behavioural support. For more complex SEN needs, the New Horizons Programme runs a daily life‑skills class to foster friendship, independence, and social engagement. There is also a Gifted and Talented provision and English Language Learners (ELL) support as part of the inclusion framework. Horizon English School is not a specialist SEN institution; it is a mainstream school with inclusive SEN provisions.

English as an Additional Language (ELL) provisions are included within the school's inclusion framework. English Language Learners (ELL) provisions are discussed during the admissions process, and new entrants undergo the WIDA Online assessment with the Head of Inclusion to determine current English proficiency and identify needed support to excel in both written and spoken English. The school explicitly outlines ELL provisions as part of its SEN/ELL offering. Next steps for ELL support are determined through the admissions process.

The school's Three Horizons framework prioritises a Flourishing environment where pupils' social, emotional, and physical well‑being are integral to development. The mission emphasises nurturing independent learners and critical thinkers while ensuring learners feel included and stimulated, with strong attention to relationships and well‑being alongside academics. The Principal states that inclusion and wellbeing are central to Horizon's ethos, and the school has sustained an Outstanding KHDA rating since 2018/19, reflecting its focus on welfare and holistic development. A dedicated School Counsellor within the Inclusion team supports student mental wellbeing as part of the broader wellbeing culture.

Safeguarding is a Cognita Middle East policy applied across Horizon English School, with the policy updated to August 2025 and implemented from December 2024. Safeguarding is described as everyone's responsibility, requiring staff to identify concerns, share information, and escalate to the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) or Deputy DSL, with oversight by the Regional Safeguarding Lead. The policy defines safeguarding and child protection, establishes a school culture of safety, and outlines annual training and knowledge bases for staff. Governance includes safeguarding reporting to regional teams and an annual safeguarding review, with references to local and international frameworks (e.g., MOE National Child Protection Policy, Wadeema's Law). The policy also covers information sharing, data protection, and safeguarding across off‑site activities and external placements, with documented implementation dates and review timelines (next review August 2026).

The Horizon English School is a British-curriculum primary school in Jumeirah, Dubai, founded in 1989. It offers a British curriculum for children aged 3 to 11 (FS1–Year 6) and is taught by British-trained teachers. The school is non-selective and private. It is part of the Cognita family since 2021. The school has an Outstanding KHDA rating consistently since 2018-19. There are over 1,000 students enrolled. Horizon English School runs a through-school pathway to Senior School, with the Town Square campus opening in August 2027 and priority placement for Horizon students at the new senior school. Direct pathways exist to Cognita sister schools after Year 6, including RGS Guildford Dubai, Repton Dubai, Repton Al Barsha, and Horizon International School. The campus features facilities such as a STEMM room, an inclusion department, enhanced sports facilities, and outdoor spaces. The school's staff include predominantly British-trained teachers, with most having two to three years of experience. The school has been celebrated as the 'Happiest School in the UAE' at the Top School Awards. The school is described as centrally located in Jumeirah.